On same day Mike Vrabel gets penalized for using F word, another referee uses it towards Trey McBride
The NFL appears to have a real problem on their hands with referees around the league.
Obviously, being a referee in the NFL is not an easy job. In addition to having to officiate a game that moves insanely quickly, with split-second decisions, only a referees' bad moments are highlighted - never the good ones. Despite that, a select few choose to brave the storm.
In Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season, referees are under fire more than ever before. It has nothing to do with bad calls being made, which happens every week. Instead, it was a pair of instances involving New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride that stood out.
Taking place in separate games, first Vrabel was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for berating a referee . According to the head referee in that game, Bill Vinovich : " He was out of the box, came up to the official and said, 'That was a f***ing terrible call'... When you use language like that, it's pretty much a given. "
NFL referee told Trey McBride "f**k you" during Cardinals-Giants game
Fans weren't buying that explanation at all, especially since cameras pick up head coaches shouting expletives at referees all the time . Making the matter hypocritical was a referee using the same type of language towards a player on the field.
McBride was arguing with a side judge, when a camera picked up the referee mouthing, "f**k you, f**k you", at the tight end . McBride then pointed at the camera, laughing while showing the referee that he was caught red-handed.
The referee will likely get a fine for the language used towards a player, but there's a real problem with officiating around the league right now.
